Soviet Red Army Rifle and Motor Rifle Company, 1943

Table of Organisation & Equipment

Red Army infantry units were organized along similar lines as infantry of other nations. At the platoon, company, and battalion level, Soviet infantry used nearly the same basic organisation as German infantry. Light mortars had been attached at the company level initially, but they fell out of use, because the platoon received sufficient artillery and mortar support from higher echelons.

Red Army Rifle Company, 1943

Company Headquarters

Company Commander, Pistol

Senior Sergeant, PPSh SMG

Anti-Tank Rifleman No. 1, PTRD/PTRS Anti-Tank Rifle

Anti-Tank Rifleman No. 2, PPSh SMG

Messenger No. 1, Rifle/Carbine

Messenger No. 2, Rifle/Carbine

Messenger No. 3, Rifle/Carbine

Rifle Platoon (30 of all ranks)

Platoon Headquarters

Platoon Leader, Pistol

Platoon Sergeant, Rifle/Carbine

Messenger, Rifle/Carbine

Rifle Section

Sergeant, Section Leader, PPSh SMG

Corporal, Rifle/Carbine

Machine Gunner No. 1, Degtaryev DP LMG

Machine Gunner No. 2, Rifle/Carbine

Grenadier, Rifle/Carbine, Hand Grenades

Riflemen No. 1, Rifle/Carbine

Riflemen No. 2, Rifle/Carbine

Riflemen No. 3, Rifle/Carbine

Riflemen No. 4, Rifle/Carbine

Rifle Section (same as above)

Rifle Section (same as above)

Rifle Platoon (1 Pistol, 3 LMG, 3 SMG, 23 Rifles/Carbines, as above)

Rifle Platoon (1 Pistol, 3 LMG, 3 SMG, 23 Rifles/Carbines, as above)

Machine Gun Platoon (18 of all ranks)

Platoon Headquarters

Platoon Commander, Pistol

Platoon Sergeant, PPSh

Messenger, Rifle/Carbine

Heavy Machine Gun Squad

Sergeant, Squad Leader, Rifle/Carbine

Machine Gunner No. 1, Pistol

Machine Gunner No. 2, Rifle/Carbine

Machine Gunner No. 3, Rifle/Carbine

Machine Gunner No. 4, Rifle/Carbine

Maxim M.1910 HMG

Heavy Machine Gun Squad (1 Pistol, 4 Rifles, 1 Maxim, as above)

Heavy Machine Gun Squad (1 Pistol, 4 Rifles, 1 Maxim, as above)

Guards, Comsol, and other Soviet elite units replaced the Maxim MG with a
12.7 mm or 14.5 mm HMG. N.K.V.D. probably also had access to newer equipment.
The D.P. LMG was usually replaced by the tank D.T. LMG, because it was lighter
and had a foldable frame butt. Soviet tank LMGs had bipods fitted for dismounted
operations.

There were only two 76.2 mm M.1912/M.1927 infantry guns attached at the battalion
level, and they frequently performed anti-tank duties in addition to their direct
support fire role. The battalion also had two 45 mm L.46 M.1938 or two 37 mm L.45
M.1935 anti-tank guns.

Motor rifle units did not have a weapons platoons at company level, these
elite tankoviy desant troops relied on fire support from the tanks they rode
into battle. Soviet tank riders suffered horrendous casualties from shattering
shells if the tank they were on deflected a shot. KV riders are reported to
have suffered more than T-34 riders, because the former had better armour and
was not as easily penetrated. The individual motor rifle platoons were equipped
with a much larger proportion of automatic weapons, a typical squad would consist
of nine men with one LMG, five SMG, and only three Rifles.

The Soviet Army had flag signals detachments consisting of one NCO and three men. These units were stationed at key positions along the front, and all the way back to the company command post. The Wehrmacht soon learned to fire smoke shells into enemy formations to disrupt any communication by flag signals. BT and T-26 tank formations relied exclusively on flag and flare signals, the vehicles carried no radios.